Frost seeding can be
a very effective way of seeding. It can be used if you do not have
equipment to seed, or if you wish to thicken or add to a perennial without
working what exists. Frost seeding works best with clovers, however, can
be very successful with brassica and chicory as well. The important thing
to remember when frost seeding brassica is that you have to be careful in
selecting a site that will not be under water for any extended period of time
during the spring (more than a day or two). Clover and chicory will
tolerate standing water a little better. Alfalfa does not work with frost
seeding.

Seeding New

If you are starting a new plot and
you wish to frost seed, you will need to plan one year ahead. Spray the area
with roundup as many times as needed to kill all the existing vegetation the
previous year. This may require you to spray two or three times during the
summer. This step can be eliminated, but you will not have as good of
results. The next year, you will have a
very clean area to work with. In the spring, when there is still snow on
the ground and before everything starts to grow, simply spread seed in the
area. (This can be done as early as you want, even mid winter, however,
birds may get to your seed if too early). The best time to do this would
be when the ground is consistently freezing at night and thawing during the
day. You want to spread the seeds early in the day before the ground
thaws. Those are ideal conditions, but anytime from mid-winter to early
spring will work. With the melting snow, frost coming out of the ground, and rainfall there will be plenty moisture to
germinate.

Seeding into
existing stand

You can also frost
seed into an existing perennial stand. You do this in the same way, at the
same time of year. There are two reasons you would want to frost seed into
an existing stand. First, you may want to seed into an area that has died
from flood, drought, or freezing, or simply to improve a thinning stand. A
second use for seeding into an existing stand would be to get brassicas into a
clover, alfalfa or chicory stand or to get clover into a biennial stand. This would give you an annual growing in
a perennial plot and it is easy to do.